


First Kiss Series: Ben-Armie

by TheKnitterati



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: First Kiss, M/M, Pre-Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Schmoop, This is REAL mushy, Vacation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-22
Updated: 2019-07-22
Packaged: 2020-07-11 16:09:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19930816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheKnitterati/pseuds/TheKnitterati
Summary: I’ve had this list of First Kiss stories in my files forever...and I finally finished one! Before Ben became Kylo and before Armitage rose to General, there was a chance meeting on a distant holiday planet. (According to my imagination, anyway)**********Excerpt:Tall and slim, his smile spanned his entire winsome face. Strands of coppery hair blew in disarray across his cheeks. He wore a pale blue shirt, wide open - buttons neglected due to the heat of the day. His skin was so pale, so delicate. Ben couldn’t see past the rails of the balcony, but whatever was so humorous appeared to be near the man’s feet, as he kept casting his eyes down before grinning another grin.





	First Kiss Series: Ben-Armie

Eyes closed, Ben reclined back onto his elbows. He dug his long, bare toes deeper into the sand, and exhaled deeply. As a general rule he tended to hide away on family vacations, preferring to find somewhere interesting where he could read and people watch...and discreetly practice using his Force power out of his parents’ view. 

There was something almost magical about the beaches on this planet though. Ben felt called to be out here; lounging under the hot sun, sifting the powder soft sand thru his fingers, occasionally walking into the sparkling purple waves for a swim.

He was different this summer, too, which surely played into his willingness to participate in the vacationing portion of vacation. At 18, Ben finally seemed to inhabit his body in a less awkward and more adult manner. No longer just a tall, gangly, puppy-boy with big hands and feet and ears...he had worked hard in the last year to put some layers of firm muscle over his chest and back, filling him out more proportional to his height. A focused training routine had given him sinewy arms to compliment his broad hands.

As a sultry breeze ruffled his dark hair - “it’s too long, Ben, just let me trim it, please?” he could almost hear Leia saying - he wondered if it was time to turn over or go step into the water. The sun was surprisingly powerful here and Ben had already burned once without even realizing it.

“Hi.” 

Ben’s eyes flew open in recognition of that honeyed voice.

“Armitage, hey.” Ben scrambled gracelessly to an upright position, toes flinging sand everywhere as they popped free from their entrenchment. 

Armitage seemed to simply fold down into a perfect seated pose beside Ben. The way he moved was utterly unfair, Ben thought for what must have been the hundredth time since they’d met. Armie - special permission had been granted to Ben to use this nickname - was as tall as Ben, but slim as a reed, a bit older, and moved with a liquid grace that Ben desperately wished to mimic.

“I’ve been looking for you. I was hoping we could have some time alone... I haven’t gotten you to myself since we met, really. We can consider this our first date.”

Ben had been staring at the way Armie’s red-gold hair seemed to halo him in fire when the sun backlit him, and nearly missed the comment. 

“What? Date?” 

Armitage laughed. 

“Yes, Ben. Date. You, me, alone.” His bright green eyes turned toward his fingers, aimlessly flicking grains of sand around. “I just wanted a little time with you…that was just for us. No one interrupting. We’re leaving in a few days, and I ...” 

Ben swallowed around the sudden lump in his throat. He had been trying not to think of how quickly time was getting away from them. They had only met four days ago, but to Ben it felt like they had known each other a life time already. 

********

“Ben! Move your bags out of the walkway and into your room. Han nearly killed himself just now tripping over them!” Leia was using her ‘command’ voice, and it rang through the rented villa. 

With a sigh, Ben peeled himself up from the plush couch he’d collapsed into, and shuffled to his luggage. The main issue, as he saw it, was that he’d misplaced his big rolling case. So he had been forced to pack four duffels and a backpack. Much more awkward to carry. 

His mentor and uncle, Luke, didn’t allow the Force to be used frivolously in public. In private however...

Ben flicked his wrist and the bags obediently levitated at hip level. He strode forward, up the wide staircase to the upper rooms and to the bedroom he’d claimed. His motley collection of bags followed like a puppy, until he flicked his wrist again and they fell to the floor, all animation gone. 

He stood for a moment, just watching the sunlight dapple patterns on the floor. He could hear the waves; the beach was just outside. Ben sighed and glanced out the sheer drapes that swayed and flowed in the breezes. A peal of laughter caught his attention. The sound was so genuine; rich, full, and bordering on ridiculous. 

Attempting discretion, Ben tried to locate the source of the laughter. Keeping himself concealed by the gauzy curtain, Ben let his dark eyes roam the villa next door. The gleeful laugh sounded again, and Ben spotted the owner, out on the balcony.

Tall and slim, his smile spanned his entire winsome face. Strands of coppery hair blew in disarray across his cheeks. He wore a pale blue shirt, wide open - buttons neglected due to the heat of the day. His skin was so pale, so delicate. Ben couldn’t see past the rails of the balcony, but whatever was so humorous appeared to be near the man’s feet, as he kept casting his eyes down before grinning another grin.

That was all it had taken; Ben was smitten at first sight. He made it his mission that day to meet this laughing stranger, and to his delight the conversation flowed readily. Before he knew it they were agreeing to meet again then next day, after talking so long they were politely dismissed from the restaurant they had been sitting in for hours.

********

“What did you have in mind for this date?” Ben asked, playfully scooping sand over Armie’s fingers as they rested beside him. 

“Honestly? I don’t care.” 

Ben looked up quickly, thinking he had said something wrong and ruined everything. Armie was looking at him with those beautiful green eyes of his, and the longing in them was so tangible it swept Ben’s breath from his lungs. 

“I really don’t, I just want to be with you. Someone in town was telling me about how nice the view is from the hilltop back by the jogan orchard… maybe we could go there, if you are up for a walk?” 

Ben leapt to his feet, dusted the sand from his hands, and extended one to Armitage to help him up. 

“That sounds perfect, Armie.” 

********

Ben could feel the sweat running down his back, and his breath was more labored than he expected. Armitage somehow was still climbing up the steep slope on the side of the hill, looking for all the world as if he was just out for a stroll. Ben would have prayed for death or given up by now, except his vantage point was just slightly below and behind Armie. So to muster his strength, all he had to do was focus on the slight sway of his companion’s hips as he climbed, and how his soft grey summer weight trousers clung to his thighs and the curves of his buttocks, and that was enough to keep Ben pushing forward. 

“Just a bit more!” 

Ben scowled; Armitage didn’t even sound out of breath. ‘It is definitely time to improve my cardio regimen at home’, Ben thought to himself. 

“Here we are. Finally. Oh my, you can see quite far from up here.” 

Ben managed the final few meters up the slope, and turned to look out. 

“OH. Oh wow. I can see the villas, and even the pier.” 

Ben felt warm fingers twine with his, and turned to find Armitage watching him, eyes sparkling and soft smile on his lips. Ben tugged him close, and they both looked out over the sun dancing on the waves. 

“I have been waiting to get you alone, Ben Solo.” Armie gave Ben’s hand a gentle squeeze. Ben swallowed and hoped his palms were not sweating. 

“All you had to do was ask. I.. I really enjoy spending time with you, if I had not made that clear.” 

Armitage tugged his hand, as he turned and walked toward a broad-trunked jogan tree. He pulled Ben to a seated position beside him, their backs up against the trunk, their hands still clasped together. Armie tipped his head onto Ben’s shoulder, and let out a very soft sigh. 

Ben struggled to find his voice, knowing he had to say something. 

“Where do you go from here? I mean.. are you going back to the academy on Arkanis? Or somewhere else?” 

Armitage snuggled a little closer, until Ben released his hand and slipped his arm around the slimmer man’s shoulders instead. Armie seemed to melt against him, and Ben felt a strange conflict of joy swelling in his heart while tears seemed to prickle at his eyes. 

“My father has decided to bestow a command upon me. Just a small cadre, and clearly it’s designed to be a ‘learning experience’. It does mean though that I will be traveling wherever this command mission takes me.” 

Ben felt a weight settle in his stomach. Of course they had been destined to part when their respective vacations ended, and yet knowing Armitage was off to who-knows-where made Ben want to scream. It didn’t really make sense to him; feeling so strongly about someone he’d just met. That did not matter, though. All that mattered was to convey to Armitage that he was everything; a tall slim bundle of dreams and hopes that Ben hadn’t even realized he had within him.

“Armitage...” Ben started, then stopped. He wasn’t sure how to say what he needed to - what if he came on too strong. 

Sighing, he slid his arm down to Armie’s waist, fingers skimming just under the hem of his shirt, eager to touch skin. 

“Armitage. I need to tell you...you are...what I mean to say is that I’ve never met anyone like you, and I feel...” Ben slowed to a halt, fingers fiddling with the edge of the redhead’s shirt. “...you can’t just go. I... want to be with you. Can’t you stay? Or take me with you?”

Ben’s face was burning; his words had sounded more romantic and considerably less desperate in his head. He’d freaked Armitage out, he was sure of it. Yes, he was pulling free of Ben’s embrace. Kriffing hells.

Ben turned to face Armitage, despair plain on his face. “Wait...”

But Armitage was smiling; a soft, warm, not-at-all freaked out smile. 

“I would love nothing in the universe so much as to just stay here with you forever. Or go somewhere else if you preferred, so long as we were together. But I know something Ben Solo, something maybe you do not know.” 

Armitage learned closer, as if to impart a secret. 

“I know we will meet again. And when we do, it will be forever.” He leaned forward, pressing his mouth against Ben’s. 

His heart in his throat, Ben brought his hand up to cup Armie’s face as their lips met. His heart was pounding; he thought he should close his eyes but he was riveted by seeing Armitage so close, with his own eyes gently closed and his red lashes against his fair skin. 

Ben slid his hand down to Armie’s neck, snaking it behind his head to keep him close. He pulled back just long enough to gulp a breath of air, then dipped back into the kiss, crushing his mouth against Armitage’s own. 

Somehow, their kisses felt like sealing a promise. A commitment that they would, in fact, meet again. Ben was looking forward to forever.


End file.
